Alcohol-free bars may not be the norm yet, but they really do exist, and there’s quite a variety nowadays. There are places with real cocktail programs, places built around kava, and places where you dance the night away sipping away on alcohol-free drinks. Dry County verifies every place we list, and these are the three non-alcoholic bars we recently fell in love with this month.
Free Spirited Lounge, Alhambra: the sit-down cocktail bar
If you just want a bar to sit and socialize, this is the one for you. Free Spirited Lounge on Main Street calls itself a sober craft cocktail lounge and scratch kitchen, with the tagline “100% Craft, 0% Alcohol.” According to Secret LA, it was opened by a married couple, Amber Pennington and Arleo De Guzman, who have more than a decade of bartending experience between them. The room is designed to feel like a traditional bar, and the team makes its own spirits in-house. They quite literally offer an experience you can’t get anywhere else.
The cocktail list is fantastic. The Infatuation counted 16 alcohol-free cocktails on the menu, including the Moon & Stars, built on citrus rind, orange rosemary and bitters. There’s also a drink with smoky lapsang souchong tea and a creamy coconut and pineapple one. Whatever your taste may be, they’ve got something for you. The kitchen cooks from scratch, and Secret LA listed dishes like sinigang, black garlic pasta and chicken piccata. There are events too, including karaoke, trivia, dance nights and paint and sip nights. At the time of writing, the lounge’s website lists evening hours Wednesday through Sunday, so check it before you go. It’s at 3020 W Main St.
Kavahana, Santa Monica: the hangout for kava, matcha and coffee
Kavahana is a kava bar a few blocks from the beach on Pico Boulevard. If you’ve never had kava, it’s made from the root of a plant and has never contained alcohol, and everything else on the menu is alcohol-free too, so there’s nothing to dodge. The Santa Monica Daily Press reported that founders Hannah Wilen and Neil Bhatia held the grand opening on February 10, 2024, and described the space as coffee-shop style by day and a non-alcoholic bar by night.
On the menu, Kavahana’s website lists kava nectar cocktails, Hawaiian Kona coffee and ceremonial matcha. The Santa Monica Daily Press mentioned the Beach Nectar, a blue drink made with spirulina, coconut and vanilla, and a Mint Julep Nectar with mint, lime and sparkling water. Coffee person, matcha person or just curious about kava, you’ll find something to order. It’s not just a daytime café either: its website mentions a Tuesday open mic, so there’s something to do after dark. The Santa Monica spot is at 306 Pico Blvd, and there’s a second Kavahana in Hollywood at 1603 N La Brea Ave. We’ve verified both.
De La Playa Records & Leisure, Highland Park: the one for music lovers
De La Playa is a vinyl shop and a non-alcoholic bar in the same room, started by three working DJs and opened in 2024. Our listing counts more than 100 non-alcoholic drinks, and the shop hosts DJ sets and listening events, so this one is as much about the music as the drinks. If your ideal night involves flipping through crates of samba, house or bossa nova with a zero-proof drink in your hand, this is it. We wrote more about it in our De La Playa spotlight. It’s at 110 S Ave 56 in Highland Park.
Picking one
Not sure where to start? Want something that feels like a classic night out, with real cocktails and dinner? Go to Free Spirited. Want somewhere low-key to hang out, work or catch an open mic? Try Kavahana. Want music and a bit of a scene? De La Playa. And if you’re up for exploring, Kava Kulture LA in Atwater Village calls itself the first kava bar to open in LA, and Burden of Proof in South Pasadena is a bottle shop where everything in the fridge is non-alcoholic, with a tasting room to try things first.
Hours and events change, so check each place’s own page before you go. You’ll find all of these and more on our non-alcoholic bars and bottle shops page.